Moby, ‘Wait for Me’ (Mute)

Let’s be honest: Moby has been treading water ever since 1999’s multiplatinum Play. Sure, there was some interesting music — as well as some banal crap — on his last three albums, but overall he’s been a man without a compass. Wait for Me isn’t exactly a statement of clarity, but it’s easily his loosest, most consistent work in quite a while. Which isn’t to say it’s light: The mood is somber, mournful, and at times, downright postapocalyptic. But the best of these ambient orchestrations, gurgling uncomplicated beats, and scattered vocals add up to something emotionally wrought, even transporting.